|
|
|
A lot of people think of newspaper SEO as a complicated, technical subject, but it is really much simpler than most believe –– at least from the copy editor's angle (the developers have the grunt of the work!).
It usually helps if you can see SEO in action to understand the fully potential of using the right keywords with the right stories and the right links.
On my last blog post, I said I would be using our Editing Words blog (of which I am a contributor) as a demonstration tool.
Here are our best-viewed Editing Words posts for the past month:
AP style: Datelines, cities that stand alone: 468
AP style: International datelines: 93
AP style: Numbers: 51
AP style: Cheat sheet on techie terms: 50
AP style: Tips on temperatures: 47
AP style on valentine and tax terms: 39
The AP style 3-D hyphen: 29
AP stylebook guide: firewords, barbecue, Champagne: 29
Writing around iPod, Kleenex and other brand names: 23
AP style: Party affiliation: 19
It is hard not to notice a pattern in the headlines: Most of them begin with "AP style." That phrase and the phrase "AP Stylebook" are the two keywords I have identified as being highly searched-for Google terms.
The top post, on datelines and cities, has been the ruling post for a while now –– I wrote that in July 2011! Just goes to show you the long-lasting effects of proper SEO and highly searched-for terms.
Another tip: Links help Google decide what exactly your blog is about, so be very selective where you link. Pick one phrase, like "AP Stylebook," and link it back to your blog's home page whenever possible (just as I did in the datelines and cities post). Linking that phrase to the homepage will help reinforce to Google what your blog is all about -- all the better for ranking, my dear.
From most popular stories of the week from GateHouse Media news organizations to the latest tips and info on search engine optimization, you'll find great examples to help you make your website a must-see for your town. On analytics, you'll find ideas for using Google Analytics to analyze your own numbers website. Find out what's popular, where readers are coming from and more. And on SEO, you'll learn how to drive traffic to your website.
